Dick Hubbard Tells “Porky” And Misleads Public

Dick Hubbard has told “Porkies” and mislead the public regarding his mother’s Auckland City rates increases says Deputy Mayor David Hay. As reported on New Zealand Herald live commentary, Dick Hubbard slagged Auckland City Council at the public Mayoral debate at the Sheraton Hotel 8 September, criticising his 78 year old mother’s rate increase of 42% over the last few years as being a disgrace.

Hubbard got his facts wrong said David Hay. The Auckland City Council rates component for Mrs Hubbard, mother of millionaire Dick Hubbard, increased over five years from $732.88 in 1999/00 to $892.69 in 2004/05 being a total increase of 159.81 (21.8%) over five years or an average of $31.96 (4.4%) per year said David Hay. The “Porky” was perpetrated again at the public Mayoral debate at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club 16 September said David Hay who was present at both debates.

Dick Hubbard may be confused, said Deputy Mayor Hay, that there is in fact a difference between Auckland City Council for which he is standing as Mayor and the Auckland Regional Council which also rates directly and had a major rate increase last year.

Mrs Hubbard pays $17.17per week including GST of $1.91 which goes to the Government leaving a net $15.26 per week for her rubbish collection, footpath, road, street lighting, parks, storm water, library, Art Gallery, Zoo, some contribution to public transport, support of the performing arts, events and numerous other ratepayer funded activities and this, in fact, seems good value for money said David Hay.

It is disappointing how Dick Hubbard launched his campaign based on personal attacks on the style and personality of John Banks and has then used abrasive techniques and misinformation, rather than the substance of policy, to woo voters said David Hay.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>